


Where you Stand

by hellospacecadet



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 12:31:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15143159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellospacecadet/pseuds/hellospacecadet
Summary: Written sometime after a newly formed VLD (Season 1)Shiro's plagued by nightmares and headaches. His efforts to train himself to death are put to rest when he encounters Keith on the training deck.





	Where you Stand

**Author's Note:**

> For SheithMonth2018
> 
> Day 2: Training/Headache

The nights where Shiro can’t sleep through them are becoming more and more with the passing days. Now he’s lucky if he gets a solid four hours before his sensitive psyche gets sick of serving him disturbing images from his time under the Galran imprisonment. It’s a night like this that he wakes up (a part of his new routine), covered in sweat from head to toe, breathing too hard through his mouth and nose like he’d just run a marathon, head pounding violently behind his eyelids.

He raises a hand to press the heels of his hands to the sockets, eliciting white pops of white where darkness should be. A groan passes from his lips when his breath is finally caught. There's a familiar tenseness in his muscles as he sits upright, a sharp pain radiating down his spine when he craned his neck to see the timeclock by the bed. 

2:30 am (converted from Altean time of course).

The air seeping into his lungs is cool, but it does little to soothe him. The cell he remained in was cool like this with a moist sort of factor to the air. The darkness enveloping the quiet of his room certainly did no favors either. Bracing both hands on either side of him, he pushes himself off the bed making a soft noise as the mattress bounces back to its original shape. He had to give Altean’s their credit- the bed had always been ridiculously comfortable in that aspect. If only his mind would quiet down long enough for him to enjoy it.

Against his better judgement, he slips on his shoes and presses the button by his door to open it. The soft ‘whoosh’ it makes is the only noise he can hear and even that grates on his sensitive being. Out of habit, his head swings to and fro, but his grey eyes only find the empty hallway, the lights bright as ever (even during ‘night’). Each step sounds exacerbated-like a giant who’s growing accustomed to their wight.  
Stomp, stomp stomp, down the hall body moving accordingly to his routine. At first a cup of tea would help, but it remedy only lasted a mere week before the nightmares were back, bringing his head feeling like it had been splitting in two. Now he resorted to pure exhaustion, a tired so tired his brain couldn't compete. His mouth quipped up, at the memory of him nearly falling asleep mid-run.

What? Knocking yourself out had not been the plan, but hey, he could have gained a few more useful hours of sleep.

Stepping onto the training deck, Shiro rolled his shoulders experimentally, ignoring the way they groaned in protest, scanning the room for tonight's weapon of torture. He had to roll his eyes to that one. Even his dark humor had its limits. A flash of black caught his eyes and he blinked them to focus at the figure laying sprawled along the floor-red bayard in hand.

“Keith?” Shiro called, eyebrows raising a tick in surprise.

Keith wore nothing but the black bodysuit that one would wear under their paladin armor. His knees raised to the ceiling, feet firmly planted on the ground, arms splayed out on either side of him. His chest rose and fell steadily, but judging by the sheen the light above casted on his face, he’d been working pretty steneously. Catlike, the man’s neck lifted allowing his head to look behind him, lifting the dark tangle of bands away from his forehead.

“Hey.” He voiced looking at him upside down before flexing those lithe muscles to sit up. “Can’t sleep?”

The question had been asked quickly without hesitation. Shiro could see how Keith’s eyes shuttered ever so slightly. He always did have a knack for being perceptive. But this had been obvious.

“Yeah.” He admitted easily enough, the straight line in his shoulder sagging of their own accord. With Keith here, there was little need to posture. He was sure the other already knew his leadership had been thrust on him with expectations so high he had no choice but to gather the crumbling bits of himself and attempt to hold them together until this war was over.

Too bad his foundation was already splitting large cracks so fast not even he could assure he’d be in once piece when they came out on the other side.

“Shiro?” His eyes drifted to Keith expectantly but when a blank stare was returned, he blinked and cleared his throat.

“I’m fine, my head feels a little fuzzy is all.”

Keith’s eyes narrowed with a small scoff. “And working out by yourself sounded like a good idea to you?” He amondishes him so easily, it has Shiro barking out a laugh.

“Well it did..does. At the time.” He brings his galran hand to the back of his head, rubbing the freshly shaved undercut. 

The floor squeaks as Keith drags a red boot over it when he stands, swiping the back of his hand under his jaw to retrieve a drop of sweat threatening to fall. Shiro stands there unsure of if he should go through with his plan until Keith stands in front of him, blocking his path. He’s grinning. It’s playful with an edge that is not unkind.

“Sure. Ok. If you can get past me then by all means feel free.”

Shiro snorts as Keith eyes him in challenge. He places his hands on his hips, tilting his head back, a well-mannered tease. “Oh I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to hurt you.”

That ignites a fire in Keith’s eyes that Shiro can’t help but admire and adore. They light those mauvey iris as he extends his free hand to push across Shiro’s broad chest. He’s holding back a laugh and by the looks of it, Shiro is too. Shiro’s frame tips back form the shove,but its just enough to send pain flying up his spine and cause needle like pain at the front of his head. He groans, gritting his teeth until the reverbiation against his skull subsides.

His charmed expression sours and Keith mimes it immediately, pulling his hands away. “Sorry.” He says, eyes dropping laced with worry. Shiro has not been the same since his retrieval from prison. Neither of them are sure of where they stand, choosing these rare moments to test the waters of their past friendship.

Shiro’s head shakes (against his better judgement), presses a palm to it to rub away the pressure. “No, it’s not your fault. You’re right.” He submits with a breathy sigh. “I should go back to bed.”

Keith’s eyes linger over him, there is a pout to his lips that isn’t quite fair. To see Keith just as worried and concerned as he had once back back at the Garrison blooms warmth in his chest. “Hey, how about some tea?” He offers, smiling gently. All is forgiven.

Keith’s nose crinkles. “Food goo tea?” Because that is an experience one should not have to suffer twice.

A laugh rumbles in Shiro’s chest as he turns to the hallway. “What no. Just..no. Hunk snagged some herbs Olkarion. It’s pretty good.”

Keith looks skeptical, but shrugs, washing away his worry for now, falling in step. 

“You’re so _picky_.” Shiro taunts good-naturedly, which prompts Keith to bite down a smile.

If he only knew.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments appreciated!
> 
> Scream at me about VLD @hellospacecadet on twitter.


End file.
